Yeah yeah, this is late. I wanted to write a whole thing up on it, but I really just don't have the time so i'll just leave you with a brief recap and my mediocre photos, video snippet, and a few mp3s.
The sold-out show took place on Wednesday night at the Bowery and I brought the Ice Princess along for her birthday present. We went to get Vietnamese ahead of time in hopes of missing the first opener entirely, but we arrived midway through the first set of the opener Luke Temple.
You don't need to see anymore of these guys than what you can see here.
I know the photo above is terrible (thanks, Kodak/unsteady hands), but Luke Temple defined the term "nothing to write home about". Despite performing as a full band, they all play under the name of the lead singer. His voice was "weird" but stuck strictly within a four-note range. The music, I think I commented at the time, managed to pull off the rare feat of being "interesting yet boring." I think I would accept on my computer/iPod one single defining track by this band but absolutely no more. Sorry Luke, but I think you need to keep looking for Solo Hahn before you're getting off the ground.
This photo is shitty too. Argh.
The second band to play was Papercuts, who I thought I had heard Doorknobs play previously and which I enjoyed. However, upon hearing them, I struggled to recall what I that thought I'd heard, because it wasn't at all what I'd thought it would be.
Commenting on Papercuts is rough, because I can't say anything bad about them--I may have even liked them--but I just didn't want to hear them when they came on. Their music was very slow and sleepy sounding and it was already so late. I think I may have dug them if they had been the only opener, or perhaps if I'd seen them alone, but as the middle of three slow bands on a cold, sleepy Wednesday night, it was too much.
Beach House, though, was GREAT. I really love this band and have been playing their most recent album, Devotion, nonstop since I first picked it up at the end of February. They play a kind of strange and beautiful serene Hawaiian dream music, and are absolutely "something to write home about." A sister and brother duo (supplemented by Papercuts singer/guitarist on drums for the tour), they play keyboard and slinky guitar, sharing vocals. The bro sings a bit more on their s/t first record, but sis's vox dominate Devotion (and even more so live).
Basically, you should go out and get this record and start listening right now.
Beach House at Bowery Ballroom, April 2 2008 from Jeffrey Beaumont on Vimeo
Some mp3s to sample:
Papercuts - John Brown
Beach House - Wedding Bell
Beach House - Some Things Last a Long Time (Daniel Johnston cover)
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